Ecuador

Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking illegal drugs in Ecuador are severe — offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines, and drivers can be held responsible for drugs passengers carry in their luggage.

1–2 year minimum for cannabis trafficking/consumption; long sentences and heavy fines.

Cannabis is illegal in Ecuador and there is no legal way to buy it. The government table that once tolerated up to 10 g for personal use was abolished by decree in November 2023, so today no quantity is officially safe to carry. Since June 2025 the law says consumption is never presumed: anyone found with cannabis must prove personal use through toxicological and psychological exams, and possession can instead be prosecuted as small-scale trafficking, which has carried 3 to 5 years since the July 2024 reform. Supplying or selling any amount is a crime.

COIP art. 220(1), as amended by the law in R.O. Suplemento 599 (12-Jul-2024): trafficking in scheduled substances — minimum scale 3–5 years; medium 5–7; high 19–22; large 22–26. Cannabis scale bands (net weight) per Resolución 001-CONSEP-CD-2015: minimum up to 20 g; medium >20–300 g; high >300 g–10 kg; large >10 kg. Selling or delivering to minors raises the maximum penalty by one third (art. 220). Illicit production: 13–16 years (art. 219(1), same 2024 reform). Possession claimed as personal use is non-punishable only if consumption is proven — it is never presumed, and forensic toxicological/psychological exams are mandatory (art. 220 as amended 10-Jun-2025).

Confirm your medication is legal with Ecuador's Ministry of Public Health, carry it in original packaging with your prescription, and buy only from reputable pharmacies (counterfeits are common).

Declare USD 10,000 or more when entering or leaving Ecuador — and on exit, amounts of USD 1,200 or more are subject to a 5% currency-exit tax.

Failure to declare can lead to fines, confiscation, or criminal charges (FCDO).

Ecuador restricts certain items entering the Galápagos Islands; check the Galápagos Biosecurity Agency (ABG) prohibited-items list before traveling there.

A valid US license is recognized in Ecuador for up to 90 days; carrying an international driving permit is recommended, and longer stays require a license from the National Transit Agency.

Drone and satellite-phone use is regulated in Ecuador; research the rules (civil aviation / ARCOTEL) before bringing them into the country.

There are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of events focused on sexual orientation in Ecuador.